1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the general field of drawing aids and tools for use by artists, and more particularly to an electronic linear perspective drawing apparatus and apparatus.
2. Preliminary Discussion
Traditionally, artists have drawn or painted on a canvass made of paper or cloth, using various tools such as drawing pencils, pens, brushes, charcoal, water or oil based is paints, and various other tools. Depending on these varieties of tools and artifacts, as well as the various techniques and processes used in creating a fine piece of artwork, the artists' unique perspectives, impressions and imaginations are brought out on the canvas, which may or may not directly correspond with reality. As a result of such variety of tools and techniques, truly there is no limit to the varieties and forms of visual arts, not withstanding the individual creativity of the artist.
Perspective is a drawing practice for representing three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional or flat surface. Leonardo da Vinci, in his extensive writings, proposed a device for accurately illustrating a perspective view, meant to capture an artist's certain “perspective” of a subject, by painting on a transparent screen interposed between the eye of the artist and the scene to be painted. In addition, a fixed eyepiece is typically mounted to the device in order to maintain a consistent viewpoint so that the artist can bring out a perspective of the subject or scenery. Such devices allow not only easy capturing of the visual features, but also enable the artist to bring out his or her own unique visual perspective to the work.
FIG. 1 is an example of a prior art linear perspective drawing aid and teaching apparatus 10 based on Leonardo's perspective. Apparatus 10 includes a base 12 that also serves as a storage container for the apparatus 10 when not in use. More particularly, base 12 includes a main storage area 14 in which user-artists can store supplies 16 such as pens, pencils, ink, tube paint and other artist tools to be used with is the invention. Adjacent storage area 14 towards the rear of base 12 is window support area 18 having a plurality of parallel slots 20 extending laterally across such area. As shown in FIG. 1, slots 20 are dimensioned to receive the bottom edge of rigid transparent sheet 22 to support sheet 22 in a generally vertical or upright position. A locking means such as pin 21 extending into an opening in a side surface 25 of base 12 may also be provided to secure the bottom edge of sheet 22 in slot 20, which sheet is preferably made of glass or Plexiglas®, or another suitable material.
Also provided along the front edge 24 of container 12 is a slot 26 for receiving the bottom edge of a second rigid transparent sheet 28 to secure sheet 28 in a substantially upright or vertical position as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, sheet 28 may be pivotably secured to container 12 along front edge 24 and movable between a storage position in storage area 16 and a use position. Cutouts 30 and 32 are provided along the side edges of sheet 28 to accommodate the user's arms, and aperture 34 through which the user views object O to be drawn or traced is centrally located in sheet 28, with chin rest 36 positioned just below aperture 34. In using device 10 to draw or trace object O on window 22, the user-artist will move to a position in front of sheet 28 so that he or she is looking through aperture 34 and window 22 in the direction of object O. In order to obtain a proper perspective, it is important that the user-artist keep his or her head as stationary as possible, and aperture 34 therefore serves a stationary reference point. Sheet 28, which could be a solid color so that the artist is viewing object O through aperture 34 with a single eye, should be positioned a distance away from the front is surface of window 22 equal to about two-thirds of the individual user's arm length, or on average about 16 to 18 inches. Window 22 therefore will be secured in one of slots 20 that is a comfortable distance from sheet 28 for the user. Then, using a suitable writing or drawing implement, the user-artist will trace or draw the object O on the surface of window 22 or on a cellophane paper or other thin transparent or translucent sheet placed over window 22 and secured by a clip or other means. Imaginary perspective lines 38 with respect to object O including horizontal and orthogonal lines converging at a vanishing point near aperture 34, which lines the artist of course does not see but may draw and which exist as conceptual principles of physics and mathematics, are also shown in FIG. 1. More experienced artists may prefer using apparatus 10 without sheet 28; however, sheet 28 should be used by young or novice artists, and the sheet is a desirable aid for individuals who are physically or emotionally handicapped such that the handicap interferes with eye, head and/or hand coordination. When a drawing is finished, window 22 and sheet 28 are placed flat in base 12, and a lid is preferably secured over base 12 for easy storage and transport of the apparatus 10.
While manual linear perspective drawing aids such as the one described above are useful for their particular purposes, they suffer from numerous drawbacks and inefficiencies. For example, the artist still must purchase and carry around conventional drawing implements and supplies such as pens, pencils, brushes, paints, and the like, which implements are expensive, messy, and prone to being lost or damaged. In addition, if the perspective is drawn on a glass, the glass must then be removed from is the holding apparatus and the drawing either transferred to a paper or canvas, or placed in a new frame, all of which is also inconvenient and time consuming. Furthermore, when known prior art linear perspective drawing aids are used as a practice device, the user-artist may wish to start over several times, requiring the paint or drawing to be either wiped off the glass several times, a new glass inserted, or a transparent paper or sheet must be changed. There is thus a need for an improved drawing tool that will help artists to focus on developing the skills and the artistic aspects, without interference from the limitations of the tools and artifacts.
Today's advances in electronics, computers, Internet and information technologies have revolutionized and affected deeply all aspects of life, including the visual art and drawing world. There are now various electronic painting and drawing tools available, such as by drawing using a stylus in combination with a touch sensitive display screen, or drawing on a separate touch sensitive screen whereby the image is transferred electronically and displayed on a display monitor. Nevertheless, as far as the present inventor is aware, no one has attempted or thought to provide a truly electronic version of a perspective drawing aid and teaching apparatus incorporating a transparent screen such as Leonardo's. U.S. Pat. No. 6,751,878 issued to Hamann discloses a device for creating three-dimensional drawings which he indicates can be accomplished either manually or electronically. However, Hamann does not explain how to accomplish a true electronic linear perspective drawing apparatus, other than that the device could communicate with a computer and the user could draw on a is “sensitive” “picture plane”. The present inventor has quite unexpectedly discovered, however, an arrangement wherein a transparent electronic display screen can be used to provide a truly electronic version of Leonardo's perspective drawing apparatus.